Help and Support
Neighbourhood Watch OUR NEWS April 2021 edition
Our popular monthly newsletter OUR NEWS April 2021 edition is here!
We are pleased to share our April ‘OUR NEWS’ newsletter, created by Neighbourhood Watch Network (the umbrella organisation for Neighbourhood Watches across England and Wales) for all Neighbourhood Watch supporters – from households to volunteers and partners.
This month we launch our PROTECT YOUR CAR campaign. We also look at fleeceware scams, predatory marriage and much more. Next year, in 2022, we will be celebrating Neighbourhood Watch’s 40th Anniversary and we want to hear from you how YOU would like to see this celebrated nationally. Please take a minute to give us your views here.
We hope you enjoy reading our newsletter and would love to hear from you on what you would like to read more of. Please send your suggestions to deborah.waller@ourwatch.org.uk.
NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH NETWORK, Central Support Team
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Neighbourhoood Watch Network is a charity registered in England & Wales, CIO no: 1173349
EU Nationals UK Settlement Scheme apply by June 20, 2021
If you are an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen, you and your family can apply to the EU Settlement Scheme to continue living in the UK after 20th June 2021.
If you need support to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme, you can get help from Calderdale Council in partnership with Halifax Opportunities Trust.
We can scan your valid passport and help you to apply to the scheme.
You will need:
- A valid EU or EEA passport or an ID card (biometric) or UK-issued biometric residence card
- A mobile phone
- Email address (this can be set up at the session)
For further information call 07857601530 and speak to Janice or email EUSettlement@calderdale.gov.uk
If you would like to book an appointment, please go to the Calderdale Council website and search for EU Settlement Scheme
Appointments will be held at:
Unit 13, Hanson Lane Enterprise Centre, Hanson Lane, Halifax, HX1 5PG
For self applications please note: You can complete the application for yourself if you have an NFC enabled phone or tablet.
Calderdale COVID-19 vaccination engagement
NHS Calderdale Clinical Commissioning Group is working in partnership with Calderdale Council, Healthwatch Calderdale and VSI Alliance, and would like to know your views and experiences of the Covid-19 vaccines.
If you have received a COVID-19 vaccination already, you can feedback about your experience of the vaccination process here:
https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/CaldVacFeedback/
Alternatively, you can scan the QR code on the below poster.
If you have not yet received a COVID-19 vaccination, we would like to hear your views on the vaccine and how well informed you feel about it. Please complete the following survey to let us know: https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/5OWUYE/
If you have had a positive experience with your vaccination and would be happy to share your story, we would love to hear from you. Please contact megan.russell@vsialliance.org.uk
Have a safe, healthy Easter and Ramadan
With Easter and Ramadan here, many of us will understandably wish to meet with family and friends to join in celebration. Whilst the restrictions are beginning to lift, we are encouraged to continue exercising caution and be mindful of our actions.
Stay safe this Easter and Ramadan and limit mixing as much as possible. If you’re meeting people outside who are not in your household remember to always stay 2m apart.
If you’re indoors, such as in a shop or a place of worship, and there are people there who you don’t live with, please remember to stay 2m apart and wear a mask. Please continue to self-isolate at home without visitors if you have COVID-19 symptoms or a positive test or are told you are a contact of a case to break the chain of infection.
Easter waste and recycling collection dates change
Please note that your waste and recycling dates are different over the Easter Bank Holidays. Please see the graphic attached.
Collections should be back to normal from Monday April 12th.
To always know your collection dates, visit
Protect Your Car – Neighbourhood Watch Campaign
Car crime is a real problem in the UK. Alarmingly, one car is stolen every ten minutes.(1) With Covid-19 and the recent lockdowns, many people aren’t driving or checking on their cars as much as they used to. At Neighbourhood Watch, we need your help to remind car owners to remain vigilant about where and how they park their cars, in order to keep them safe.
John Hayward-Cripps, CEO of Neighbourhood Watch Network, says
“Most car crimes happen because cars are left unlocked. There is a misconception that some cars are auto-locking and lock themselves if left unattended after a period of time. This isn’t always correct. Another misconception is that your car is too old and no one will bother stealing it. This is also incorrect – both new and old cars are at risk. Having a car stolen or broken into is more than simply a hassle, it can impact on people’s livelihoods. The good news is that there are simple steps everyone can take to help reduce the risk to their car. With only a 46% recovery rate we’re reminding everyone to leave your car locked, lit and empty.”
Remember – Leave your car:
- Locked (2) A simple mistake that can prove calamitous: 44% of cars are broken into via an unlocked door. Leave your car locked video.
- Lit (2) 80% of car crime occurs during the evening or at night. Parking near street lamps or in a busy area can deter thieves. Leave your car lit video.
- Empty (or with no items on show) Owners often forget that personal belongings within the car are at as much risk of being stolen as the car itself. Leave your car empty video.
John Hayward-Cripps continues
“Car thieves are opportunists. Leaving items on a car seat or forgetting to lock your car can act as an invitation for crime. We want to instill the habit of double-checking where and how you’ve parked with our three simple steps: leave it locked, lit and empty. As a local charity with a trusted voice in the community, we’re asking everyone to proactively support their neighbours and friends by sharing our three steps with three others. By spreading the word, we’re confident we can crack down on car crime which can be deeply distressing and debilitating for its victims.”
How to support our campaign:
LEARN: Visit www.ourwatch.org.uk/protectyourcar for top tips and advice on keeping your vehicle safe.
FOLLOW: Follow us on our social channels (Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / LinkedIn) to share our messages within your communities. Tag #ProtectYourCar
SHARE: Forward this email to your friends and family, or download this image and share it on WhatsApp with the following message ‘Car crime remains a pressing problem in the UK – alarmingly, one car is stolen every ten minutes. The vast majority of car crimes happen through unlocked cars, parked in badly lit areas and where there are visible items to steal. Remember these simple steps to keep your car safe… leave it locked, lit and empty. For more top tops visit www.ourwatch.org.uk/protectyourcar
For more information, including requests for a press release or campaign pack, please contact our Senior Communications and Digital Manager Deborah Waller on Deborah.waller@ourwatch.org.uk
Data sourced from:
(1) ITV: ITV, 2020
(2) ONS data: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/datasets/crimeinenglandandwalesappendixtables
(3) OPAL and Police National Computer: https://www.npcc.police.uk/NationalPolicing/OPALNationalIntelligenceUnitforSeriousOrganisedAcq.aspx
Neighbourhood Watch Network (the national umbrella charity for Neighbourhood Watches across England and Wales)
Protect your Car campaign
Call to address LGBT+ health inequalities April 19
The AHSN Network invites those who identify themselves as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transsexual or Questioning to share their views and help instigate changes to the health care provision.
Read full article on the AHSN Network website
The AHSN Network and LGBT Foundation have joined forces to launch a nationwide call for innovations to help address health inequalities facing lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT) people, many of which have been exacerbated by COVID-19.
These challenges are highlighted in our new compilation of evidence of LGBT+ health inequalities.
From MedTech and digital apps to improvement programmes, changes in practice and new pathways, we are looking for innovations and innovative approaches already in use or in development.
Ground-breaking and inspiring examples of work in this area will be showcased in a report to be published later this year by the AHSN Network and LGBT Foundation, which we hope will support best practice to be spread more widely across health and care services.
Help for children and teenagers to cope with difficult emotions
Open Minds Calderdale are here to help children and young people cope with the difficult emotions of stress, anxiety and frustration.
A lot of these feelings have come about due to the several months of lockdown and disruption of the daily routine.
The following posters may prove useful in helping your child or teenager deal with such feelings of anxiety. They also provide links for further assistance.
Disability Partnership Calderdale newsletter 29 March 2021
The latest Disability Partnership Calderdale has information on the ease of restrictions, the safety of the AstraZeneca vaccine, covid vaccination information and a call for the consultations of the walking and cycling routes of your area, reminder of the elections and a list of useful resources.
Strengthening Families Strengthening Communities free Parenting Programme April 22
Are you a parent with children aged 3-18?
Do you want to help shape services for the future?
Come and be part of a study to promote family wellbeing!
The Strengthening Families Strengthening Communities free Parenting Programme for local parents & carers will be run again, starting April 22.
The course will take place in person at Ash Green Children’s centre in Mixenden.
This free, 13 week course aims to help you to
- Build positive family relationships
- Manage anger and stress
- Implement effective discipline strategies
- Gain confidence and communication skills
- Understand your child’s development
- Recognise and value your family and cultural traditions
- Meet others and share ideas
The course is aimed at parents, step parents, grandparents and foster carers who have got a child aged between 3-18.
The programme is part of a research study from the University College London: The Together Study. This means that a researcher would like to talk to you before the programme starts and at three time points after the programme has finished. You will receive a £10 voucher for each questionnaire you complete with a researcher.
Part of the research is that parents are randomly allocated to either the group starting in February or allocated to a group starting in September. (The researchers can explain more about why) – a computer decides who takes part in the group now or in the group later and the decision cannot be influenced.
Halifax Opportunities Trust, Sure Start Children’s Centres & North Halifax Partnership are working with UCL and Race Equality Foundation to offer Strengthening Families Strengthening Communities free Parenting Programme.
For more information please contact Julia Brierley: 07852174007
Programme details – A5 booklet
